Advertisments:

I'm 13. I live in the middle of no where. It's a redneck town, not shown on maps. My family is anything but supportive. So I'm looking for some help from experienced people. I want to be an actress more than anything. I know I have time to think of other jobs, but I also know I wouldn't enjoy them. I've explored other options. Always, always, I'm lead back to acting. But I feel like my chances are slimmer than anyone else's in the world. My question is, how can I start now, to be an actress in the future? Keep in mind while answering this, please, that my dad refuses to help me at ALL.

Big directors will contact agencies for actors, and to get signed with an acting agency, you need experience.

So, as for getting into acting. You need to get experience. No-one gets perfect the first time, or stars in a huge Hollywood blockbuster, first off, unless incredibly lucky. So, work your way up. Do theatre shows in school, that is a good start. Then look at some theatre and acting opportunities outside of school, the easiest thing to look into is amateur/ community theatre. You can google for that, or ask via your local library and theatres for the contact details. Then, with a few of those under your belt you can start getting some headshot photos done, and look into approaching agents. Keep on with community theatre and short/ student films while you do it, so you have an increasingly large resume. Not all of that will be paid, but you need the experience and to show that you are active within the acting/ performing world.

Be prepared for the massive highs, as well as the massive lows, and the times that agents will turn you away as well as the times they accept you. There are also websites out there that list castings and film/ theatre opportunities. However always remember, that you should not have to pay upfront to audition or join a casting agency. If they ask for upfront fees, they are probably a scam and not genuine.

If I had a nickel for every time a young girl asked this question daily on Y!A, I'd be filthy rich!

If your mom and dad support you, they'll move you out to LA or NY or at least enroll you in a credible theatre school in the closest town near you(assuming you can get there on time every class). Do community theatre and get classes on your resume. If you want to become a professional actress, 70% of jobs in North America are casted in NY and LA, so I'd move there as soon as you get credits. If you go to a theatre school, you'd probably know what to do from here.

You can do what you can do.Focus on learning and growing as an actor and a performer.Some things you can try:

* Acting classes. Voice and dance lessons can be helpful too.

* Audition for what you can - school plays, community theater, student films, local productions. Look at the website any community theaters around you and see what they're doing this summer. Contact film schools in your area and ask how they find actors for student films and then check those researches. (This is a long shot, because generally they'll want adults in the film, but you can see.)

* Perform with choir or dance troupe or other performance group.

* Read plays and scripts - all kinds - and keep an eye out for characters and monologues you love and want to develop.

* Read books and websites about acting - the craft/technique and the business end of things too.If you want a professional acting career as an adult you have to understand the business end of acting as well as the performance skills.

* Join Speech/Drama club and look into competing in the acting divisions of forensic competitions.

* Get together with friends and have fun making your own movies or webseries or put on your own production.

* Keep up your grades in school. Embrace learning, you never know when you can somehow use that information later.

Extra-curricular activies can be helpful for kids - so maybe if you present it as wanting to get involved in something and learn and have fun your parents will be more supportive. Doing theater shows (like playing on a sports team) help teach you leadership and teamwork skills.Performance skills, public speaking that you learn in acting classes are good life skills.But if not - again, you do what you can.Save your money and just understand that even people from "the middle of no where" can be actors.But it is an extremely competitive career.People are not "discovered" - that's not how the industry works.It requires persistance and commitment.

You need to embrace what you can do and don't worry about what is not possible until you are able to relocate.Talk to your English teacher about good plays to read and monologues to learn.Learn to sing and dance and if there are any youth theatre groups near you, look at joining those.

You can read about acting techniques - the school librarian/library will be able to help with that.If your father does not support your plans then tell him that you will stop your actor training/dance training/singing training if your grades drop, then he has no reason to stand in your way.

Start researching really good drama/acting schools for when you finish high school.Look at their audition requirements.You can find them on the internet.Knowledge is your greatest friend here.If you are prepared for when you finish high school and you have gathered together as much knowledge and training as you can, you will already by an actress in your heart.The rest is just follow through.Best of luck.